1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for recording a color image on a color photosensitive material such as a photographic color film on the basis of image signals representing a plurality of color-separated images which are obtained by color-separating a color original.
2. Description of Prior Arts
In order to print a color image, a proof print is generally produced before a final printing step, to confirm the quality of the image to be printed. To this end, respective color-separated halftone image films for yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (K) blocks are generally employed for successively printing the color-separated halftone images on a color photograhic proof paper to obtain a proof image thereon (this method is hereinafter referred to as "simple proof method").
However, when a defect is found in color separation conditions, for example, as the result of the simple proof method, it is necessary to carry out two steps of color separation and the simple proof again, while the color separation film produced through a number of steps at a cost is abandoned noneconomically.
Although an image for proof can be simply produced with no printing step by employing a color photosensitive film, for example, it is necessary to print respective color separation images onto a color film in registration with the greatest possible care. Further, the color photosensitive film has only color photosensitive layers for yellow, magenta and cyan, and hence it is necessary to color all of the three color layers in correspondence to a black separated halftone image, in order to simulate the printing effect of the black separated halftone image. Thus, it is necessary to expose the color photosensitive film through Y, M and C color-separated image films in time series while overlaying each of the Y, M and C color-separated image films with a K color separated image film. The overlaying operation requires accurate positional adjustment between the Y (M or C) color-separated image film and the K color-separated image film. Therefore, the operation for the exposure is laborious. Furthermore, the recorded halftone dots are often blurred due to the thickness of overlaid films.